13 Classic Halloween Specials To Watch Right Now

It’s the most wonderful time of the year — and no I’m not talking about the holidays, because right now, it's all about Halloween. It's those wonderful few weeks when you don't have to worry about buying gifts or cooking a huge meal, and instead can just eat candy and veg out while watching horror flicks. Whether you’re “Netflix and Chilling” or actually just chilling with friends and watching TV, there are plenty of Halloween specials on Netflix to get you in the spirit of things. The best part? You don't have to give up watching your favorite TV shows to tune into something spooky. There are a ton of Halloween TV episodes on Netflix that combine classic series with all of the holiday's signature elements.

Why TV episodes and specials over movies? Besides the fact that watching TV is always a good idea, sometimes you just don't have time to sit down and watch an entire movie, so these episodes are sort of like a shortcut into Halloween festivities. Plus, most Halloween episodes of TV shows aren’t actually scary, so they're perfect for anyone who prefers the holiday without the horror. Here are 13 must-watch Halloween specials and TV episodes to watch on Netflix this October.

1. Friends, “The One With The Halloween Party”

Catwoman takes on Supergirl, Monica gets Chandler a giant bunny costume, and Ross shows up dressed as “spudnik.” Those are already three solid reasons to watch the Friends halloween episode, which is Season 8, Episode 6.

2. Curious George: A Halloween Boo Fest

Every year Charlie Brown and his great pumpkin take over your TV, so why not change things up and relive your childhood with some Curious George? This is a family movie, so gather everyone around to enjoy George and his Halloween mischief.

3. Family Guy, “Halloween On Spooner Street”

Brian and Stewie hit the streets for some trick-or-treating when they get mixed up with some bullies, while Quagmire is pranked by Peter and Joe. Over the many years of Family Guy, Season 9, Episode 5 is its first and only Halloween episode, so any fan should definitely check it out.

4. Pretty Little Liars, “The First Secret” or “This Is A Dark Ride”

Pretty Little Liars’ plot may be totally different now, but its first two Halloween episodes are still worth revisiting. Catch the "Dark Ride" ride in Season 3, Episode 13, when the girls attend a Halloween party on a train filled with A's minions, or go back to the beginning in Season 2, Episode 13, "The First Secret," which takes place before Ali went missing. Both episodes are equally creepy.

5. How I Met Your Mother, “The Slutty Pumpkin”

Every Halloween, Ted Mosby goes to the party on the roof of his building and waits for "the slutty pumpkin" to show up, a girl he met just once years before at the same party. It’s kind of sad, but Barney Stinson makes watching Season 1, Episode 6 all worth it. I promise.

6. New Girl, “Halloween” Or “Keaton”

Both of these were wonderful and hilarious Halloween episode. In “Halloween” (Season 2, Episode 6), the gang goes to a Halloween carnival and Nick faces his fears in the haunted house. “Keaton” (Season 3, Episode 6) is all about getting Schmidt into a better mood for their Halloween party. How do they do this? By pretending to be his childhood idol Michael Keaton, aka Batman. Watching these two episodes back to back will definitely show you a sillier side of Halloween.

7. Parks And Recreation, “Greg Pikitis”

Leslie Knope attempts to stop a neighborhood punk from vandalizing a park on Halloween while Ann Perkins throws a boring Halloween party in Season 2, Episode 7. Pikitis!

8. Supernatural, “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester”

The title might make it sound like a cute ode to Charlie Brown, but Supernatural Season 4, Episode 7 is actually quite creepy. A witch starts killing people in order to summon a demon, which Sam and Dean have to stop. Then again, creepiness is what Halloween is all about, right?

9. DreamWorks Spooky Stories

This special features exactly what the title implies: spooky stories starring your favorite DreamWorks characters. Yes, Shrek and Donkey are there. And who doesn’t love Shrek?

10. American Horror Story: Murder House, “Halloween Part 1" & “Halloween Part 2"

In my opinion, these are the two best episodes of American Horror Story ever, though pretty much any episode of any season will get you in the Halloween spirit. “Halloween Part 1" and "Halloween Part 2" (Season 1, Episodes 4 & 5) are especially awesome because they revolve around Tate Langdon and his completely messed up past. I don’t want to give too much away, so just trust me when I see it's fittingly creepy, terrifying, and addicting.

11. Goosebumps

No, not the Jack Black movie that was recently released, but the '90s TV series that created episodes around R.L. Stine's classic spooky novels. The series includes four seasons and various specials, all of which are available to watch on Netflix and will easily get you into the Halloween spirit — just take your pick.

12. Alvin & The Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein

Alvin, Simon, and Theodore are always getting into mischief, and in this Halloween special they meet the famous monster. Not into Frankenstein? Alvin & The Chipmunks Meet The Wolfman is also available for your viewing pleasure on Netflix.

13. Buffy The Vampire Slayer: “Halloween”

In this Buffy Halloween episode (Season 2, Episode 6), a creepy guy sells costumes that turn people into whatever they’re dressing up as. Yikes.

Whether you choose to have an epic marathon and watch all of these in one sitting, or make them last you until Oct. 31 finally rolls around, thanks to these TV episodes and specials, you have hours of Halloween laughs and scares ahead.

Images: NBC; Giphy (2); Brunomarsinhatunu/Tumblr; Rebloggy